A leader learns from the past.

Although at first read,  that might seem obvious, as you look around you’ll find many people who don’t learn from their pasts.

That may be for several different reasons.

• Maybe they don’t make time to reflect on the past.  The past is too painful, and they would rather just move on – slamming the door on any unpleasant experiences.
• Possibly they self-medicate.  Any drug of choice that prevents us from feeling the pain of an experience will also short circuit the changes in us that the pain would produce in if allowed to remain and do its work.
• Then again they might not have a Mentor.  Seldom do any of us have the emotional objectivity around a painful situation to where we can on our own glean all the lessons that might arise from that situation.  Here’s where another set of ears and eyes can be of great value in mining all that could be learned.

This poster asks a question that certainly would start a lively discussion around any table of people who wanted to make sure they were learning from their past.  What would you say to your younger self if limited to only two words?  The answers might prove quite fascinating.

Visit the poster entitled A Crisis for even more on this subject.

Categories: Ego, Emotional Composure, Learning, Response To Change